Breaking Point
by Heidi1
Summary: Trilogy of Dominic and Nikki -- where do they go from there?? How is Letty?
1. Default Chapter

BREAKING POINT  
  
CHAPTER 1  
  
Dominic got up early to drive over to the garage -- he was working on a new car and couldn't wait to get his hands on it. He peeked in on his sleeping daughter's -- Daisy was almost two and Glory was almost a year. They were exactly one year apart by two days. Dom and his wife, Nikki, hadn't planned it that way, but it was pretty cool. They were such amazing gorgeous little girls and he had never been happier. Dom looked in on Nikki again before he left. They had been together now for three years and she had never looked better to him, even after two babies. She was sleeping so soundly and he smiled, knowing it wouldn't last long -- Daisy and Glory would be up soon. Dom had an almost overwhelming urge to crawl back in bed with her -- knowing how good the bed felt and how warm her body was .... but he resisted, knowing the work on this car had to be done soon. He had bought it and was restoring it to its original racing beauty -- putting everything in it that would make it an incredible machine that would beat everything on the streets. He already had offers to buy it and was waiting for the best offer to come in on it when word got out. In the kitchen Dom turned made sure the coffee pot was ready to go off on time so Nikki would have something to give her strength to deal with his two rambunctious daughters. Full of life didn't begin to describe them. They were wicked little spoiled angels and he couldn't imagine one second of his life without them. He never thought he'd be a father, especially not to two little girls, but with Nikki, all things seemed possible. He never knew that love could be like this -- not one couple he knew were as happy as he and Nikki were. They were still like newlyweds, still discovering things about each other, still talking all the time, still making love whenever they had an opportunity. With the two girls he would have thought it would have slowed them down, but somehow it didn't -- they had somehow managed to make love in one way or another every single day since they met, even on the day that Glory was born -- that was actually what brought on Nikki's labor. It was amazing -- she was his dream queen. Dom walked out of the house, locking the door behind him and walked over to his truck. There was a large manila envelope sticking out from under one of the windshield wipers and he figured it was some marketing agent trying to get him to hustle parts out of his shop. He picked it up and noticed it was addressed to him with just his name -- not DT Performance or even their address. Dom opened it and what spilled out into his hands made his perfect little world shatter into a thousand pieces.  
  
CHAPTER 2 Three months later  
  
"Nikki, please don't cry." Mia held her sister-in-law in her arms, watching as their children played in a playpen in her living room. Nikki was absolutely wrecked with sadness and Mia understood why. "Mia, I can't live like this anymore. I don't know what's wrong with him. He's changed -- totally. I mean, you know how he treats the guys at the garage -- is anyone even left there?" "Just Brian and he's ready to quit. Leon and Jesse opened their own shop, which I hear isn't doing too bad, Vince works for Harry, Letty is working at the store with me, doing inventory and stuff." "Is she talking any more?" "A little more -- it's difficult. Vince is so great, though -- he is so tender with her. And she still loves you and Dom and the girls. She asks about you once in a while but she's afraid of Dom now." "I still love her, you know? I couldn't even be angry at her for all that stuff -- she's had such a hard life and I'm no one to judge. I just want her better and back to that spitfire she was." "She loves you, too, Nik, but she is really afraid of Dom." "Who isn't?" "Brian said if Dom blows up at him once more, he's out." Mia got Nikki another tissue. "What the hell happened?" "I don't know -- we were all fine -- everything was going so good and then suddenly, it was like he just lost who he was. At least who he was since I've known him. The only time he isn't angry is when he is with the girls -- he won't even talk to me -- unless it is about the girls or about sex -- that's it and even that's changed." Nikki didn't explain further and MIa didn't ask. The sex between Dom and NIkki had always been so hot and so explosive -- now the difference was Dom seemed to use her body as a release for his built up tension -- there was very little tenderness or passion. He never hurt her but he didn't seem overly concerned about her pleasure either. "He works out to the point of exhaustion, he's drinking a lot .... shit Mia, he's been in fights. A couple of nights ago he came home with his knuckles all cut up. He won't tell me what's wrong and almost dares me to ask him again once I've asked so he can blow up at me. I don't know what to do and I'm worried about him and what will come next." "Listen, honey, Brian and I are going to go to visit his mom in Texas -- she hasn't seen Alexander yet and is really eager. How about if we take the girls, too? Then you and Dom can be alone and maybe you can get some answers out of him." "He'll never agree to that." "You let me take care of my big brother. Watch the kids and I'll be back after I convince him."  
  
CHAPTER 3  
  
Mia left and drove to the garage where Dom always was. Dom may have raised her, was older and certainly more street smart than she would ever be, but he respected her opinion and her own wisdom. He would listen to her, she was sure of it. He might pretend not to, but deep inside, he'd hear her. She'd stayed out of all this going on for the past three months because she knew that whatever it was was deep inside him. Something had struck her brother right to his core and she had to leave him alone to work though it but she didn't know that he was going after Nikki with his temper now too. She saw her husband looking infuriated. He walked over to Mia in a rage. "I quit, honey, I'm sorry. After we get back from vacation, I'll find something else." "I'm not worried -- we'll be fine. Nikki is at our place with the kids -- will you go and keep her company? She's just so upset. I think we need to take our nieces with us on this vacation and let Dom and Nikki find their way back to each other." "Shit, I don't even know if it is safe to leave her alone with him." Brian was kidding but part of him wasn't -- Dom was a totally different person. "Do you think he'll let us take the kids?" "He won't have a choice. I'm going to make him." Mia walked into the garage while Brian drove his car back home. "DOM!" She made her way through the few cars -- he had lost most of his business because of his temper. "DOM!" "WHAT?" He slid out from under a car he had been working on constantly. "Mia, I don't have enough time to bullshit with you, especially not now that your husband fucking quit on me, just like everyone else." "Maybe it's the way you treat them." He looked at her and she stared back. She certainly wasn't afraid of him and if he thought he could scare her, he was wrong. "Get up -- we are going to talk right now." She walked over and sat on the small table in the back. She glanced at the invoice wall -- nothing had been collected on, there was an enormous degree of outstanding bills in the in-basket. Dom walked over to her slowly, wiping his hands on a towel. "What?" "Brian and I are going on vacation to Texas to see his mother and we're taking your kids with us." "Bullshit." "We are -- Dom, you need a rest or something. Every single person that you love has walked away from you -- do you realize that?? Letty finally gets out of the hospital, isn't supposed to have any extra stress and you are screaming at her within a week and both she and Vince quit? She's afraid of you, Dom -- is that what you wanted -- AFRAID." He looked down, unable to meet Mia's eyes. "Then you chase Leon and Jesse out of here? Your wife is at my house crying right now. You won't let anyone close to you, you won't let anyone know what is wrong with you, Dom, so no one can help you. I'm taking your kids -- look inside your heart if you can still find it -- you know that I'm right." Dom was furious at her. She had no right to talk to him like that even if everything she was saying was the truth. Maybe it would be better if the girls were gone for a little while -- he had already made the decision he was going to race this new car and he didn't want Nikki bringing them up to him -- they wouldn't even be home. "Wanna take my wife, too?" He half-smiled at her and she glared at him. "Fuck you, Dom. Why are you treating her like shit?" "I'm not -- is that what she told you?" "No, but it's obvious. I know her and she doesn't cry easy. Things were great about three months ago -- now everything is a mess. Look at your hand -- you've been fighting again." "Big fucking deal -- some guy got in my face and I put him down." Mia got up. "Grow up in a hurry, Dom -- you've got two little girls to raise and I doubt very much that they want an asshole for a father. We're leaving in two days. Maybe you can talk to your wife." Dom muttered something under his breath and Mia ignored him totally. 


	2. Chapter 4 thru 5

CHAPTER 4  
  
Nikki and Dom waved goodbye as the mini-van pulled out of their driveway. Her heart was breaking -- how was she not going to see her precious babies for three weeks? It seemed impossible. She turned to say something to Dom and he was gone inside the house. She walked in slowly, praying to herself, "please, let him talk to me". "Dom?" He was sitting on the couch drinking a beer. "Well, take your clothes off." "What did you say to me?" "I said take your clothes off -- that's what you wanted this little three week free time from our children for, isn't it? Hurry up, I've got a car to work on." She was stunned -- he never spoke to her like that. Her eyes threatened to fill with tears but she held back. "Why don't you go and fuck that car if you love it so much." He got up and grabbed her arms. "Why, Nik? You don't want your husband to fuck you? You don't want your husband right now?" He was squeezing. "You are hurting me." He let go immediately, a look of shame on his face. "No, Dominic, I don't want you -- not now." "I wonder why?" He jumped in front of her as she started to walk up the stairs to their bedroom. "You're in a big hurry to get me out of the house, aren't you Nik?" "What are you talking about?" The tears were pushing to get out and she knew at once it was impossible not to let them fall. "What is wrong with you? You're yelling at me, fighting with guys, working out to the point you can barely walk up the stairs at night, drinking too much. Dominic, talk to me -- you've always been able to talk to me." She grabbed his arm and when he swung his arm around to move her off, he moved too fast and she flew backwards and into the wall. They stared at each other, both shocked at what happened. "Oh, jeez ..." She rubbed the back of her head where she hit herself. "Nikki -- I'm so sorry, I swear to God I didn't mean to push you like that -- I just wanted you to let go of me." She was angry now -- his little demonstration had forced back her tears and brought out her anger. "Since when do you want me to let go of any part of your body, Dom? Ever? Just in this last three months -- before that, for the past three years all we've done is talk and touch -- now we barely do either." "I'm not the one who ..." He stopped talking and stared at her. "Who what -- did I do something to you? Tell me what it is so I can make it better because I will do anything to get back what we had." Now she was crying again. "It meant the world." "Sometimes the world fucks you over, darling. You, of all people, should know that." And with that statement, he walked out of the house. Nikki walked up to the bedroom and laid down, crying for what felt like hours. She had no idea of when he'd be home -- wanted him home and didn't want him home all at the same time. If she wasn't sure that his pushing her into the wall had been an accident, she would leave him right now, but she knew it was. Dom would lay down his life before hurting her -- she believed that with all of her heart. But what on earth did he think she did to him?  
  
CHAPTER 5  
  
Dom walked into the computer store with the manila envelope in his hands that he had found three months ago on his car window. He really didn't want anyone to see what was inside -- even though he couldn't stop looking himself. But he needed help and although Jesse was the one person who could answer his questions, Dom wanted a stranger who wouldn't sugar- coat the truth. He looked around for someone young, who would know about this, and who wouldn't stun easily. There were a lot of salesmen and he found one who was around his age. "Do you know much about computers?" The guy started a sales pitch and Dom stopped him. "No, I'm not here to buy one. Do you know about computer pictures and imaging and that shit?" "Oh, yeah -- why? We have great scanners." Damnit, Dom thought. "Can I see your manager?" Dom figured that the manager probably was who he should have asked for in the first place. The older man came over and Dom told him he had a serious matter to discuss and they went into the tiny cubical office. "Look, I need an opinion of someone who knows computers and I figure that is you. I got these pictures and I want to know if they are real or computer enhanced." He opened the manila envelope and heard the manager take a sharp breath. "Beautiful woman." "My wife." "Okay, I understand now. Son, with the computer technology that is out today, anything is possible, but I think there is a really good chance that these pictures are real. I doubt very highly that a computer could do this, or even a very good digital camera -- even by a professional photographer. I'm sorry, but I think this is the real thing." Dom grabbed the pictures up and walked out, without thanking him. If he had only stayed with the young salesman, he would have gotten a totally different answer. 


	3. Chapter 5 thru 7

CHAPTER 6  
  
Dom sat in his car and opened the envelope again -- he didn't even know how many times he had looked at these pictures, sure they weren't real. Now they most probably were. It was Nikki -- in every single shot -- and she was with a man that Dominic knew well -- Johnny Tran's younger brother Jimmy. She had on nothing in most of the pictures except a pair of tiny white panties, her arms were wrapped around his neck, he had his face buried in her breasts, he was on top of her and one of her legs was wrapped around his naked ass. Dom was so tempted to rip them into shreds but he couldn't for some reason. He did know, however, exactly what he was going to do. He was going to start racing again, beat Jimmy Tran in a race, and then eventually kill him. No one would find out -- he'd be smart about it -- this wasn't like the time he snapped and beat that guy that killed his father. This was different -- Dom was going to plan it all out, exactly what he was going to do and how and when. And when he killed Jimmy, when he snapped his neck with his bare hands, he would remind him of how he had fucked Nikki and that had been a mistake. But what could he do about her? She was the mother of his children and he loved her still, with every part of his soul. But he couldn't be with someone who had betrayed him. He'd divorce her and take the girls. She could visit but that would be it. And if she didn't like it, he'd take them and move out of the country. He'd give her enough money to live on and live well. And that would be it. No more women who spent more than a few hours in his bed -- he would never marry again, never fall in love. You lose your heart and soul to a woman and all it does is fuck you up. Dom sped out of the parking lot and toward home. He had to get dressed for the race tonight and he was going to tell her with a vicious joy. He knew she didn't want him racing although she always proclaimed that she wouldn't stop him. Every time his heart tried to get the best of him, remind him of his love for her, he would force himself to think of those pictures, of his wife having sex with Jimmy Tran, and the love, while it never left, at least felt like it faded. Dom walked into the house and slammed the front door hard. She was home -- he saw her Benz in the driveway. He turned on the stereo as loud as it would go and ran up the stairs. He didn't know where she was in the house and tried to pretend to himself that he didn't care. Rap music was shaking the walls of the house and he attempted to pump himself up for this race. He had enough NOS in the new car to blow himself off the planet, much less win a race and he was going to win. He heard the shower running and stripped off his clothes and slid the door open. "Dom, you're letting all the cool air in." "Move over, Nik -- I'm going out tonight." He got into the shower and turned on the other jets. He didn't speak to her but couldn't resist her, as much as he wanted to. He reached over and grabbed her around the waist, letting his free hand roam her body. "You feel sexy, were you thinking about someone, darling?" He had a tone in his voice that she didn't like. "Dom, I don't want to do this like this. What do you mean you're going out and who am I thinking about? What is going on?" Nikki tried to move away from him but it was impossible, he was too strong for her and was gripping her too tightly. "You don't want to do it like what, Nik -- in the shower? We've done it in the shower thousands of times, I'd guess. Hell, Glory could have been conceived in here, couldn't she? Although, at this point, I'd be a fool not to use protection with you." He was being mean and knew it and his heart tried to stop him. He ignored it. "You'd be a fool -- Dom, stop!" He got out of the shower and opened a drawer and got out a condom and got back in. She backed up against the tile. "I said no, Dominic, I mean it." He touched her the way she always loved to be touched but didn't kiss her and it wasn't working for her and he knew it. "You always want me, Nikki, don't pretend." "You're like a different person. Stop touching me like that." She tried to move from him and slipped and almost fell but he grabbed her and stood her up straight. "I could have gone right through those shower doors, Dominic -- first the wall and now this -- are you trying to hurt me?" She got out of the shower and he stood wondering what the hell he was trying to do. He showered and came out, a towel draped low around his waist. She was sitting on the bed, drying her hair with a big fluffy towel. "Look, I wasn't trying to hurt you, Nikki, I was just horny. Why can't you do your wifely duty and take care of me?" "Take care of you sexually, you mean, because you won't let me take care of you in any other way." She gave him a dirty look and he dropped the towel. "That's exactly what I mean. I've got a race tonight and I want to be pumped up -- a little attention from you and that smart mouth of yours might give me some luck." Her head was spinning -- he was being cruel, talking about sex like it was something so dirty between them, and now he was racing again? "You've got a what?" "A hard-on." "I can see that. Not as impressive as usual, though." He felt like slapping her -- he wondered how much she enjoyed Jimmy Tran's body. "You said you are racing tonight?" "Yep -- you heard me. Got a sweet little car all ready to go and I'm gonna be seeing lots of old friends -- there will be a party back here tonight, by the way. I'm betting one hundred large on this cherry and only one person out there is stupid enough to take the bet. Old friend of yours, in fact." Nikki looked at him in confusion. She knew no one from the racing circuit. "What are you talking about? Who?" "Don't play with me Nikki -- unless you're gonna play the way I want it, but obviously you're too busy talking to do anything constructive." He walked away from her and got dressed as she watched. "Dom, what friend -- why are you playing these head games with me?" He started laughing. "Oh no, you were the one who wouldn't play head games, Nikki. At least not with me." Dom walked back into the bathroom and she followed him. "I want to go with you." "Absolutely not and don't plan on making calls to find out where I am -- I already warned everyone we know that if you show up at that race, I'll be fucking bashing heads in." "You threatened our friends?" He pushed past her back into the bedroom. "You know something, Nik -- I just can't believe this. NO kids in the house, just us and a big bed and you're being a frigid little witch. I don't have time for you right now but when I get home, I'll let you make the choice." "What choice?" "When I win, I always get laid, honey. You or someone else -- take the choice." He walked away from her down the stairs. "Oh, and honey, when I get home, I have something interesting to show you." Dom slammed the front door and Nikki heard the engine roar and the squeal of tires as he floored it out of their driveway. What was wrong with him, she wondered to herself. He was actually talking about sleeping with another woman? This can't be -- none of what has gone on in the last three months could be happening. She thought of Letty -- locked up in that psych ward for all those months and wondered if this is what it felt like? Maybe none of this was real. Nikki shook her head at the ridiculous thought although it did give her some comfort -- being insane would be better than living life like this. Nikki turned off the stereo and sat down on the couch. No more tears -- she couldn't even cry any more tears. She picked up the phone and called Jesse and begged him to come over to the house. He showed up ten minutes later. He hugged her for a long, long time. "Jesse, what is wrong with him -- is he on drugs?" Nikki was totally serious -- maybe he was doing steroids -- she had heard of some sort of rage. Maybe it was speed or X or Special K -- she used to see all that stuff back in her days in Jersey and New York. Hell, she had been addicted to speed herself at one point long ago. "No, Nik, I don't think so. I don't know what's wrong with him -- I've never seen him like this. Never. Even when his dad died, he wasn't like this. I wish I could help you -- shit, I'm afraid if he finds me here, he'll beat the hell out of me." "He'd never ...." Neither one of them said anything because neither one of them knew the truth. Would he hurt Jesse or one of their friends? They didn't know. "Where is the race?" "No way -- I'm here because I love you but I am not a fool. He meant it when he said not to tell you." "All right, tell me this -- who is he racing -- he said it was only one guy and was for a lot of money." "Hundred grand. He's racing Jimmy Tran." Nikki's heart stopped -- he was obviously related to Johnny. She still shuddered when she thought about the night she stabbed him. "Who is he? Dom seems to think I know him." Jesse looked at her strangely. "I mean, he is related to Johnny, right, but I only knew Johnny and his cousin." "He's Johnny's little brother but I don't know why Dom would think you'd know him -- he just moved back into LA three months ago. He had been living in Washington for the past ten years or so. Yeah, he's only been back three months." "When Dom changed." "Yeah, you're right. Maybe something went down between the two of them?" Jesse was thinking and Nikki looked at him. "But if that is true, why would Dom be so mean to me? Why would he be so cruel to his friends and family?" "I don't know, Nik. Look I'm going over to the bar -- there's a party there tonight." "Wait -- Dom said it would be here." Jesse stared at her. "Honey, are you sure you are hearing everything right -- are you feeling okay? You can't know Jimmy, there is no party here. Where would all the booze and food be? Nikki, I'm worried -- about Dom, about you. Maybe I should stay?" "No, go to the bar. Call me if he's okay, all right?" "Absolutely. And don't worry -- he will be. No one drives like Dom." Jesse kissed her goodbye and Nikki sat on the couch. Dom did say it was an old friend of hers that he was racing and he did tell her he was having the party there. In fact, he made that comment about getting laid. Was that what he was doing? This was giving her the worst headache and she walked out into the kitchen and got a bottle of ice cold beer out of the fridge. This was the first beer she had had in a long time -- with two little babies, she didn't want to lose a moment of control, even to one beer. Nikki's cell phone rang and she grabbed for it. It was Jesse with a lot of noise behind him. "He's fine, Nik -- he won!! Everyone is totally psyched." "Is he there?" She asked but what she was really thinking was "is he with someone?" "No, I don't know where the hell he is -- after he collected his winnings from Jimmy, he told everyone he was done racing, the car was up for sale, and split. I'll talk to you tomorrow -- it'll be okay, Nikki." Nikki thought about what Jesse said -- that Dom won, that he wasn't there at the party for him, that he quit racing after coming back for this one race. That everything would be okay. Would it, really? Suddenly her cell rang again and she expected Jesse but it was Dom. "Make a choice now cuz I'm looking at a blonde." His voice was deep and resonated through her. Part of her wanted to scream at him to fuck the slut and leave her and her children alone, but most of her wanted him to come home. "Hurry up, Nikki." "Come home, alone, and do whatever you want to me, Dom. I don't care anymore." She hung up on him.  
  
CHAPTER 7  
  
Dom knew beating Jimmy would be easy but didn't think it would be this easy. Victory also didn't taste as sweet as he hoped it would. He was too angry -- he wanted Jimmy's blood, not his money. He didn't even bother with the party -- who cared. Everyone was cheering and yelling his name and he told them all it was his last race and his car was for sale. He got into the car and took off, driving around, thinking about what to do. He couldn't get his mind off those pictures -- how could she do this to him? After all they had shared and meant to each other? They had those two beautiful children and all that love that seemed to keep growing and she fucked another guy? The guy who's brother she nearly killed to keep from being raped by? So Dom called her, lied to her, and when she told him to do what he wanted to her and that she didn't care anymore and hung up on him, everything sort of hit him at once. He almost lost control of the car he had just won one hundred thousand dollars in. He decided to go home, to put the pictures in front of her, let her tell him why and then tell her he was divorcing her and taking the kids. No amount of asking for forgiveness would fix things either. Dom thought to himself that it was ironic -- he cheated on Letty constantly, and knew that she had on him but hadn't cared. But Letty had cared -- it had helped break her and she was still broken thanks to him. Maybe this was some sort of karma -- a royal payback for what he did to Letty. Dom parked on the street and walked slowly up the stairs to the house. The truck and Benz were in the driveway. It was dark except for the light coming from the nursery. The babies weren't home -- why was she in there? He walked inside and up the stairs, stopping only to take off his leather jacket and to walk into the office, open a locked drawer and take out the manila envelope. He walked into the nursery. Nikki was sitting in the rocker with a beer in her hand. She was in one of his tee-shirts that was way too big for her body and covered with a blanket. She was rocking back and forth slowly but looked as though she was ready to fall asleep. She didn't even hear him come in. His heart started to go to her and he clutched the pictures. "Hey, Nik." "Hi." "What are you doing in here?" "Missing our girls. Did you make it okay?" "I told you I won." "That really isn't what I was asking, but I guess congratulations are in order." "What were you asking?" "Does it matter, Dom, to you? Do I matter anymore?" The tears rolled down her cheeks so slowly and his heart started to break. "You told me to make a choice, I told you to come home and do whatever you wanted to me. Let's go in the bedroom or shower or front lawn -- just not in here." "You're gonna let me do whatever I want -- anything I want to you?" She nodded her head. "Why would you do that?" She stood up so quickly that the rocker fell over. She screamed right into his face, right up against him. "Because maybe it will bring you back to me!!" He was shocked by the sheer force of her anger and stepped back. If anyone had told him three months ago, three years ago that there would be this much anger between them, he wouldn't have believed a word they said, probably hit them if it had been a guy. If God Himself had told Dom this, he would have called God a liar. "I'm not going to touch you, Nikki, but I do want you to come out of this nursery and down to the kitchen with me. I told you I had something to show you." "A blonde?" "No, an auburn haired goddess." She looked at him, wondering what he was talking about and followed him down to the kitchen. She noticed then he was carrying a manila envelope. Nikki sat down at the table and Dom got both of them a beer, taking her empty bottle and throwing it away. "Well? Where is she?" Dom opened the envelope and the pictures scattered all over the table. "Right there -- my own incredibly stunning auburn haired goddess fucking Jimmy Tran." He was calm for the first time in weeks. "Look all you want, they ain't gonna change. I want a divorce, Nikki, I want the girls. You can have visitation and I'll make sure you are taken care of financially, but I want you out of this house." She was ignoring him, shocked at what she was seeing. She had never met Jimmy Tran in her life but it was .... she looked a little closer and then a lot closer. "I'll be right back." Much to his surprise she didn't try and deny anything, didn't beg for forgiveness, she just ran up the stairs to the office and came back down with a magnifying glass. "I almost forgot we had this." She looked closer at the pictures. "Dominic, I need to ask you a question -- when did you get these?" "Three months ago -- your lover left them on my windshield." "And how many times have you looked at them?" She was calm and it flustered him and made him angry. "Thousands, but I don't think that is the fucking point, Nikki. You are fucking ..." "No, I'm not." "I even took this to an expert at Computer Land who told me that this was real and not some image cooked up in a computer." "Well, he's a moron and I think you might be too." Dom stared at her -- he was so angry but her sense of absolute relaxation threw him. "Come here. Dominic -- come here!" He walked over slowly. "So I assume you noticed my white ..." "Yeah, the white panties he seems to love." "No, honey, the white bikini bottoms that you love -- the white lacey bikini that you always attack me when I'm wearing because it is so small on my breasts. Look at it -- you can see the lace and that it is the bikini and not a pair of panties. God, I thought you were smarter than this." Dominic looked closer than ever at the picture and then grabbed the magnifying glass from her. Holy shit, he thought, she was right. It was the bikini and he should know -- he put his hands in those bottoms more times than he could count. "Now look closely at this one -- with my arms supposedly around Jimmy's neck -- Dom -- you can see part of Glory's leg -- I was holding her in the air when this was taken. All of these were taken when I was in the backyard getting some sun with our babies!!" She screamed at him and threw the beer across the room where it shattered. Dom grabbed the picture -- she was right -- he could see Glory's leg -- he could even make out the little heart shaped birthmark -- he had been so busy looking at Jimmy that he couldn't see anything else. "But the bed ..." "Fuck, Dominic -- I was laying in the sun -- you know I spread my legs a little bit to tan the insides of my thighs. I must have had one leg up -- probably Daisy was sitting just below it. And obviously these guys had a high powered digital camera and some good computer work and if some "expert" as you put it tells you that this is real -- you are the one who got fucked, Dom, not me." She stormed out of the room and upstairs to the bedroom. Dom looked again at each picture and could see so much more of what he had missed in his anger -- the yard was theirs, part of the back of the house, part of the lawn chair she liked, even part of Daisy's hand. How could he have been so stupid? How could he have thought this about his own wife?? He ran up the stairs to find her on the phone, an pile of clothes in her arm. She saw him and went into the bathroom, locking the door. She had never done that before -- not even when she had the worst morning sickness in the world and was basically covered with puke. He listened and realized she was talking to Mia. "What day are you coming home? No, I'm glad. Everything's not okay, but it will be, sis. I love you too -- kiss my little girls. Bye, sweetie." Nikki came out of the bathroom, having changed into jeans and a sweater and walked right past him, opening the closet and pulling out a suitcase. She pulled out the white bikini and threw it at him. "You know what you can do with this." She went back to pulling her clothes out. "Nik, wait -- oh God, please wait -- I'm so sorry -- I don't know what came over me, I don't know why I believed this or why I didn't ask you first. I know you love me and would never do this to me and I just went crazy. God, Nikki, forgive me." She kept packing as he begged. "You want a divorce, you're taking the girls??? FUCK YOU, DOM!" She was throwing her clothes into the suitcase. "How could you do this -- how could you do this to our love?? You threw it all away -- you've been throwing shit in my face for three months over something that would have been fixed in a day and you know what, Dom? You fucking lost to the Tran family tonight -- Jimmy may have lost that race to you and that money but you fucking lost your wife because he won the game he decided to play. I don't stay with the losing side, babe, and you should have known that when I told you about my past. I leave the losers." She picked up the suitcase and he grabbed it. "What are you going to do now -- hit me, throw me against a wall or the shower doors -- rape me -- make me feel like your whore? You wanted me to make a choice tonight, Dominic -- I made one -- now I want you to have the blonde, I want a winner and you are a loser." "I'm not letting you go, Nik. I won't -- I fucked up -- how can you not forgive me?" He had tears actually running down his cheeks and she felt no sympathy for him. He had made her cry hundreds of tears in the past three months. "Because I am Nikki Toretto and we get vengeance -- haven't you heard that about the Toretto clan, Dominic? You picked me because you saw that I am tough and hard just like you." "You aren't anything like me, Nikki -- you've never been hard a moment in your life. Don't leave me -- can't we start over -- can't you help me? Please help me, baby, please." Now that got to her --- almost. "Take those pictures and study them real good, honey, because that is the last time you will ever see me in a position like that." She started out of the bedroom and he grabbed her around her waist. "Let me go. Keep my clothes -- keep everything. If you think you are getting those girls, Dom, you are dreaming. I'm leaving you." "No -- we have to find a way to work through this. You said you wanted me back to myself -- you said that the choice was for me to come home so I'd come back to you -- I'm back to you, Nikki, you made that choice and I'm back." She struggled but there was no point -- he was too strong. "I love you with all of my soul -- I swear to God, Nikki, if you left me I would have nothing left to live for. I'm not playing with you -- there would be no reason to live. No one needs me but you and those girls -- you are the reason I am alive." She was breathing so hard but it was slowing down a bit. He loosened his grip on her a little. "Don't leave me, baby, please. I was lied to, I believed what I was told instead of what was in my heart. I need you, Nik." She had been silent too long -- he prayed she was listening to him. "Okay -- we'll talk. Stay up here and unpack my stuff and I'll get us something to drink without the alcohol that neither of us needs. I'm going to make a pot of coffee." She didn't smile at him but he thought her eyes looked softer and she had dried tears on her face. He leaned in to kiss her and she moved her head back. "I'll be up in a few -- unpack, okay?" Dom agreed and went into the bedroom. Suddenly he heard a motor start up. "Shit!" Dom ran down the stairs but Nikki was already out of the driveway in her Benz. He couldn't find his keys and then noticed the keys to the race car on the couch. He grabbed them and tried to find her. She must have taken some quick turns because she was no where. He went to the garage, the store, everywhere that she went, he even went to Jesse and Leon's new apartment to see if she was there and talked them into letting him search it for her. He told them he had to talk to them, to apologize but had to find his wife first. He drove back home, thinking she might have snuck into Mia's house but it was totally locked up and obviously hadn't been opened. He drove to Vince and Letty's -- he hated to do that, not wanting to add any stress to Letty after what he had already done, but he had to know. Vince said no at first and Dom told him that Nikki had split and he had to find her. Letty looked out from behind Vince and motioned Dom in. He hugged her for a long time, apologizing and swearing to her that he would never yell at her again, that he had never been angry at her and that everything was his fault. She hugged him back and whispered 'beach' to him. Dom looked deep into Letty's eyes. "You're such a smart girl, sweetie -- you know where she is. I do love you, my other sister." He kissed her and hugged Vince, telling him he wanted to talk to both of them after he straightened things out with Nik. 


	4. Chapter 8 thru 9

CHAPTER 8  
  
Dom drove to the beach where he and Nikki had gone so many times -- with the whole team, with their girls, and alone together. They had even made love there several times -- both inside and outside of the car. Letty had been right -- Nikki's Benz was sitting in the empty lot. She wasn't inside of it and Dom followed her footprints. The beach was totally deserted and he couldn't help thinking how foolish it was for her to be out here alone. He saw her sitting on the beach, looking small and lost. He could kill himself for what he did to her. Dom walked up to her slowly. "Nikki." "Go away, Dom, there isn't anything left to say." "Everything I said was true, Nik, you did make a choice and you said you wanted me back to you. I'm back -- I've already apologized to Leon and Jesse and Letty and Vince." She looked at him in surprise. "I thought you might be hiding out at one of their houses -- Letty is the one who told me to look here." "Dom, I'm not being a bitch to you but I don't know how to fix what you did." "I don't either, babe, but can't we try?" He took her hand and was thankful when she didn't pull it back. "I don't know how -- I really don't. I can yell at you for the next ten years and it won't make a difference at the end because you believed those pictures." "Nikki -- were you worried tonight when I told you I was going to get laid and I was looking at a blonde?" She opened her mouth and closed it again. "Be honest." "Yes -- I had Jesse call me from that bar where the party was so I knew you didn't crash and I wanted to ask him if you were with someone." "So tell me that if you got pictures of me fucking some chick that you wouldn't have suspected that it was real .... or how about if they were pictures of me and Letty?" "I would have looked closer." "Positive about that? It was easy to do tonight -- you knew that it wasn't you in those pictures but if you had seen me?" He was making a point. "I guess I feel that we should have trust and ..." "And we do but Nik, every couple has jealousy too -- shit, if we didn't have jealousy about another person it wouldn't be much of a union. The trust is there all the time but so is that little fear that the person you love most in the world might fuck you over." Nikki nodded at that. "Let's get off this beach -- my ass is sore from the sand." "You gonna cut and run on me?" He smiled and she had to laugh. "No, you've got that race car and I don't think I could outrun you this time." They walked slowly up to their cars. Nikki started to tell him what Mia said on the phone but he wasn't listening -- he could hear them, the same way he heard them when Jesse was shot and almost killed. Then he saw them -- two motorcycles -- it was all playing in his head -- like a rerun -- Jesse hitting the ground, Dom thinking he had died in his arms, the blood, Mia screaming. He didn't even think -- he grabbed Nikki and threw her against the car hard, putting his body as much over hers as possible -- the gunshots rang out and Dom slid to the ground. "DOMINIC!"  
  
CHAPTER 9  
  
"They must have followed one of us -- can you get me in your car?" She opened the door and used all of her strength to pull him and push him -- he was bleeding too much from his back and she was terrified. He was so heavy and using his strength to help her, which only made him bleed more. Finally he was leaning across the seat and she shut the door. She ran around the car and got in and started to drive. "Not the hospital -- Nik, take me home." "NO! You've been shot several times. Dom, you are bleeding terribly." "They'll go to the hospital and I won't be safe. If we go home and then you ditch this car, it'll be okay." "You'll bleed to death." "Nikki, you told me your past -- I know you can get these bullets out of me -- you told me you did it for that guy in Jersey." "It wasn't deep -- I don't know how deep you are wounded Dom or if it is near an artery or how many or how bad you are bleeding. I don't even know how to get you into the house. We have to go to the hospital." "They'll kill me, babe. And the hospital has to report gunshot wounds to the cops." "What if I can't help you?" "Just drive baby -- fast -- get us home fast -- they won't even think to go there right away. Call Jesse and Leon on the cell and ask them to meet us there -- don't call Vince -- Letty needs him and this will only upset her." Nikki picked up her cell and asked Leon to bring Jesse and meet them at the house and asked Jesse to bring something with him that only she knew about -- it was a secret they shared. When she pulled in, they were there and carried Dom in and laid him on his stomach on the bed. Nikki and Jesse stripped him while Leon ditched her car. They kept off all the lights except for in the nursery and the bedroom and bath so it looked like an empty house. He had five bullets in his body -- one in his shoulder, two in his shoulder blade, one near the base of his back and one in the back of his upper thigh. "Oh guys, this is not cool -- he needs a doctor." "No, Nikki can get them out. Nik, do it." Dom said, his voice deep with pain. She looked at Jesse and Leon. "I can't, Dom -- I'm scared -- they might be deep. There's so much blood." "Fucking do it, baby. Tell them what you need and take them out." Nikki looked into his eyes and got all the strength she could from him. "Jesse, give me what you brought me." He handed her a prescription bottle. "Thanks, go downstairs and get the first aid kit and a bottle of Jack Daniels and a bottle of Vodka. Leon, I need a sewing kit -- there is one in the closet of the guest bedroom and some fishing wire -- I think there is some in the basement." They hurried off and Nikki went into the bathroom. Dom heard her rummaging around, knocking things down, breaking things. She came out. "This is going to hurt like a bastard." "What did Jesse give you?" "Xanax -- he's been on it since he was sixteen. He never wanted anyone to know. But he did tell me one night. It'll help you so much tonight." "Nikki, if something happens." "Don't you dare, dare say that or I will call 911." "Just tell me you forgive me." She knelt on the floor next to the bed so her face was right in line with his. "I forgive you, darling. I do." She tenderly kissed his lips. "I want you to put these under your tongue. They are gonna taste nasty but do it." "What is it?" "Vicodin -- they're from when I had Glory and had some pain afterward, but they're still good." She put six under his tongue, knowing it was too much, way too much, but that she was going to dig into his body. He was 225 pounds of muscle and she knew this amount would probably kill her but would only help him. "Now the Xanax -- put them under your tongue, too. C'mon, let me see that tongue I know and love." Dom smiled at her and stuck his tongue out and Nikki put four Xanax there with the Vicodin. "Don't swallow them, let them melt." "God." "I know, they're horrible." She rubbed his head and kissed his lips and stood up. She had all the clean towels in the house and clean sheets. She was going to have to pack these wounds well. Suddenly she thought of something and grabbed her cell. "This is Mrs. Toretto, please have Dr. Soma call me as soon as possible. I've got a fever of 104 degrees and a sore throat. Could he make it liquid -- my throat is really sore? Thanks." A few minutes later the phone rang. Nikki gave him the number of the pharmacy and Dom watched her, already feeling hazy from the meds she gave him. Jesse and Leon ran into the room with everything she asked for. "Leon, I need you to go to Barton's 24 Hour Drugs -- two blocks down and to the right and up one block. Pick up a prescription for Mrs. Nikki Toretto. Grab Dom's keys -- when you come back, pull around the truck and park your car where the charger was." Leon took off and Jesse stood looking at her. She grabbed the bottle of Jack Daniels. "Honey, wake up a little bit. I want you to take a swig of this -- it'll help get rid of the taste of the drugs." He drank some and then some more. Dom felt he was just floating now -- he could barely feel the pain until she poured most of the bottle of vodka on his back. He was on fire now and she petted him, kissing his head, feeding him more of the Jack Daniels. She gave him two more Xanax, putting them under his tongue and he started to feel the floating again. "How can I do this?" "You can do it, Nikki. I'll help you. He's like an engine -- that's what I keep telling myself -- Dom is an engine." She smiled a sad smile and kissed Jesse's cheek. She looked down at Dom and saw he was very much out of it. Thank god for living in a chemical world. She opened the first aid kit -- it was well stocked for almost any emergency but probably surgery wasn't one of them. Before she did anything she taught Jesse how to take his pulse and watch the clock. She put on gloves and picked up a small knife wondering what that was in there for. Who knows, maybe this was for surgery? She started at the easiest -- the one on his shoulder. She knew that was basically muscle and she dug it out easily. He moaned a few times but for the most part, he was quiet. His pulse was good and strong and she pushed a gauze bandage in there to soak up the blood and moved to the next easiest -- the one high on his thigh. "Just missed your boys, baby." She whispered and Jesse offered a weak laugh. Dom was too out of it to hear or understand her. She dug, this one was a little deeper and he made a little more noise, but it came out too, and then she packed it. The two in his shoulder blade were grisly but came out easier than she expected. She stopped and Jesse stared at her. She was staring at the one in his lower back. "God, Jess, if I cut him here and make one little error, he could be paralyzed for life. I'm so scared." "You're doing great, Nikki. I'd let you operate on me anytime. Seriously, do it -- have faith in him and in yourself and in God. God didn't give you those babies to raise alone and you know it. Dom is right -- if he goes to the hospital, he will die. The Trans will make sure of it. Even if we take him 100 miles from here and put him in under another name, they'll track him down. Right now they think he's dead, probably. Plus, they report gunshots to the cops and Dom could be in trouble -- he was racing tonight and I don't think he's been the best boy on the block lately." She smiled and decided Jesse was right -- she had faith in him and would force it in herself to do this. Leon walked in and was stunned to see all the bullets out but one. "Nikki -- holy shit. Here, I got the liquid penicillin." She took the bottle and went to Dom's head. "Baby, you need to drink this. Dom!" He was so completely out. "Jesse, hold his head back as far as you can and Leon, hold his mouth open like a funnel ... yes, like that." Nikki poured half the bottle into his mouth slowly, rubbing his neck. They looked at her as Dom automatically swallowed. She shrugged. "Used to work on my cat." They all laughed as much as they could at such a horrible scene. They laid him back down and Nikki reminded Jesse to keep checking his pulse. It was still strong. "That's my boy." Nikki gathered up all the strength, all the faith, all the love she had for him and went in for the last bullet in his lower back. It was so close to the spine that her arm was shaking. Suddenly Leon put his arms around her gently and it gave her the strength to keep going. She got the bullet out and Dom let out his first and only scream of the night. She soothed him with words, not wanting to give him anything else and he fell back into his drugged stupor. She closed each wound with fishing line. She used antibiotic cream and bandaged him up as tight as possible. The bleeding was soon down to a bare minimum and his pulse was still strong. She sat down on the floor near his head and put hers down. She was crying and Jesse knelt next to her and held her. "You did such a great job, Nik." "It was amazing. Where did you learn to do that?" Leon asked. "Long time ago -- from my unlawful past, to tell you the truth." "Well, let's thank God for an unlawful past that just saved your husband's life. Jimmy Tran wants him dead." Nikki looked at Leon and her eyes lit up with fear. "What, honey?" "Give me my cell." Nikki dialed and she spoke to Mia. "You two need to stay at Brian's mother's house for a while. No, there is a problem with the Tran's again. Dom and I are fine, honey -- everything is fine. Leon and Jesse are here and Letty is talking to Dom a little again but I want my children and your Alex safe and I don't think they will be if you come home." Nikki waited and Brian got on the phone. "No Bri, we're safe here but if you hear, somehow that Dom was killed -- he is fine -- he was shot but he's okay. No hospital so you know it wasn't serious." She looked at Jesse and Leon and they smiled -- they would protect her lie. "I'm going to deposit some money in your bank account -- do you have your ATM cards with you? Cool -- where are the deposit slips?" She listened and told him she would send Leon with the money tomorrow. She hung up and yawned. "Nik, you are exhausted -- you need sleep, sweetie. We'll stay with him." "No, I can't leave him. Plus, I've got a few more phone calls to make." She dialed again. "Vince, it's Nik." She was quiet. "I know he was there and yeah, he found me. I miss you too, big bear. Listen to me -- Dom was shot and we don't know who did it -- no, he's fine -- we're not at the house -- we're in a hotel up out in the canyons." Once again she looked up at Leon and Jesse. Her lies were growing and she hated it. "I need you to do Dom and I a huge favor. I need you to go to the next race ..." she listened. "Tomorrow night -- great -- go and tell everyone that Dom is dead. I'm serious, V. It'll save his life, maybe all of our lives. Do it. We're staying in the hotel until he can figure out who did this to him. You can't talk to him -- he's in the shower washing it out -- it's just a flesh wound -- barely bled. He's going to come back quietly and call you and the two of you can find this person. Jesse and Leon left -- they thought it would be best to take the heat off LA." She couldn't even look at them this time, she looked at her sleeping husband and watched Jesse take his pulse. He gave her the thumbs up sign. "V, Dom is the one who told me to call you first and to ask you to do this for him. Yeah, the kids are safe in another state with Mia and Bri. I've gotta go and get him some food. He's cranky after being shot!" She faked a giggle and hung up. "I hate lying." "You're good at it, though." She looked up at Leon, who was smiling at her. "You need to let us in on your plan." "I will -- right now, we all need sleep. One more call and then everyone off to bed. Jesse, see that little alarm over there? It has some buttons that will make it ring every fifteen minutes but I can't figure out how to set it -- I bought it when Daisy was born but never used it. Could you set it to go off every fifteen so I can take his pulse?" "Nikki, you need sleep." "I'll sleep between. I'm not letting him die on me after he wouldn't let me take him to a hospital." Nikki dialed her cell phone again and asked for Derrick. "Derrick -- it's me, Nikki Toretto. Do you remember talking to me last year?" She waited and the guys looked at each other. "Yeah, that's me. I need your help -- are you still available?" She waited again and never looked at either one of them. "I need to meet with you at night -- somewhere not near my home. I'm not sure what night yet, but soon. Is that too complicated?" She laughed. "Sorry, I forgot you do complicated well. Cool. I'll have the money you need for everything. Thanks, Derrick." She smiled and hung up the phone. "I'm not even gonna ask about that until tomorrow." Leon said and Nikki thought to herself, you will get no answer, sweetie. "It's set, Nik." She smiled at Jesse -- such a brilliant mind. "Guys go find somewhere to sleep -- the nursery has a small couch, downstairs, the guest room -- good thing neither one of you had a chick with you tonight, huh?" "Actually ..." Leon blushed and she laughed. "You left a girl in your bed for me?" "Of course -- don't you know by now you are my favorite girl? I'd do anything for you or Big D." She kissed them both. "Don't turn on any lights downstairs or answer the phone if it rings. Remember after tomorrow people will think Dom is dead and I left town with my kids and you guys have split. The Trans will regret this, come what may." Nikki slept in fifteen minute shifts or less -- she kept getting up and checking his pulse. It was strong and sure. She changed the dressing on the wounds every two hours or so and made sure he was breathing normally. She would turn his head so his neck wouldn't get stiff. She couldn't stop touching or kissing him. All that fighting, the pictures, the last three months of torture they both went through meant nothing at this point. The only thing that mattered was that Dominic recovered completely. 


	5. Chapter 10 thru END!

CHAPTER 10  
  
"Nikki ..." It was a mere whisper but she heard it and jumped up from the floor where she had been sleeping. She had sat down on the floor so she could see his face -- he looked at peace and wasn't in any pain and she needed to keep seeing that. She must have fallen asleep and slid down the bedding. When she heard him call her name, she moved up quickly. "Baby, how are you? Are you in pain?" He nodded and she got him two Vicodin and some water. He managed to get them down. "You are doing so good -- the bullets are all out and you aren't bleeding anymore. You need to be really still though so that the bleeding doesn't start." "Jess and Leon?" He was still whispering. "Dominic -- can you use your voice?" "I don't want to wake the babies." She looked at him with absolute fear. My God -- had she given him too much medication and fried his brain? He suddenly looked at her as if he woke up all the way. "Never mind -- they're with Mia and Brian in Texas. Wonder why I thought they were home? I think I was dreaming about them and you and it was a regular morning." He was using his full voice and she was so relieved that she had to hold back the tears -- she didn't want to worry him about her. "Jesse and Leon are sleeping somewhere in the house. Let me get a wash cloth and wash you off -- and you need some penicillin and ..." He reached up and grabbed her hand and pulled her down to the floor. "I need you right now more than anything. I need your touch and your kiss -- I need to know you love me and forgive me and won't leave me when I'm healed and you don't want a divorce and you won't take the ..." Nikki pressed her mouth to his and when he opened her mouth and slowly brushed her tongue with his, she touched his face, letting her tears fall, and discovered they were mingling with his. "I belong to you, Dominic -- forever. We're solid, as ever." She kissed him again, all over his face and his free hand cupped her breast and she laughed. "Only you could get horny after being shot five times. I hate to tell you this, buddy, but that pain killer has killed any fun you'll be having for a little while and you are not getting off your tummy so you're out of luck for now." She kissed his mouth sweetly. "But I can guarantee you'll be getting really lucky as soon as you are all better!" Nikki stood up and went into the bathroom and got a warm wash cloth, some of the babies wipies and went and washed her husband's face, arms, his head and neck, the parts of his back that weren't bandaged. "That feels so good." "Good. Do you think you can go back to sleep?" "I need to get people together to get Jimmy Tran and ...." "Dom, I'm not going to threaten to leave you because you won't believe me about that anymore, but I will tell you this -- I have the ability to knock you out completely for days at a time. And I will do it. You are not doing anything, not talking to Jesse or Leon, not talking to anyone about anything -- you are gonna lay there and heal. My daughter's are going to come home and want a healthy father, not one in a grave." "You'd drug me?" He was smiling at her and at the fact that she was not smiling back. "Damn straight." She walked over and got the liquid penicillin, she poured him a tablespoon. Last night she needed half the bottle, now she was going to give it to him slower. He swallowed it with a grimace. "Stop being such a baby." She teased and he laughed. "Come here and taste it if you think I'm being a baby." She knelt down and put her tongue into his mouth for a long kiss. It did taste pretty gross but he tasted better. Leon and Jesse walked in at that moment. "Jesus -- the guy gets shot five times and he's trying to get it on with his old lady already!" Leon laughed and Nikki stood up and threw them both out of the room. She turned to Dom. "I put the baby monitor next to you -- if you need me, just call. I need to get some coffee and talk to these guys. Go to sleep." "I'm not sleepy -- you got me all stirred up, girl." His eyes were closing as much as he tried to keep them open. He reminded her of her girls when they were trying to fight sleep. Before Nikki had the door closed, he was sleeping. Nikki, Leon and Jesse walked downstairs together. "Hey, we wanted to see him." Jesse said, disappointed. "I know, honey, but neither one of you can right now -- he's talking revenge on Jimmy Tran already." "That's D for you. But he's right -- we need to do something." Leon said, angry, furious. He had seen the pictures of Nikki and knew immediately what Dom didn't -- that they were fakes. But he also figured out that was what had infuriated Dom so completely for the past three months. Leon had taken the pictures, put them in the manila envelope and on top of the refrigerator. "Leon, I'm changing this subject -- and I'm in charge around here. I know that you guys are used to Dominic being the big boss of this team -- that isn't really a team anymore but I know is still a family -- but right now, control is in my court. That was my marriage that he tried to ruin, my husband that he tried to kill." Nikki got herself a cup of hot coffee and looked at the baby monitor -- she was glad Jesse had been able to set it up so quickly. She could see Dom's face and he was sleeping peacefully. "Leon, I need you to sneak over to Mia's house, here is the key -- make sure no one see's you. Go in the backdoor and to the right of the kitchen they have a small office set up. Brian said in the desk left hand drawer there is a check book and their savings account. I need you to grab a deposit slip for the checking and the savings -- make sure you've got each one. I'm going to go online and transfer funds to them today." They both looked at her in shock -- they always knew she was strong but had no idea she was this tough. She was totally in control of the situation and had been since the moment they got home last night and she took those bullets out of her husband. "I'll need both your help with him when he is sleeping -- cleaning wounds, moving him, cleaning him -- but when he's awake, you've gotta be away from him or he'll start talking revenge and I'm gonna knock him out with the drugs." "Are you shitting me?" Leon asked in shock. "I am not. He's not going to do any planning, make any phone calls, do anything but heal. I know he's got it out for Jimmy Tran but this is my husband and the father of my kids -- I will take care of him and if it means keeping him in a drugged sleep, I'll do it." She stood up, looking at the monitor. "Jesse, do you think you can go to that 24 hour pharmacy for me tonight -- I called and told my doctor I dropped the bottle and it broke and I need another one -- he made me make an appointment to come in tomorrow but I did it so he'd give me the penicillin." "Yeah, as soon as it's dark. That's where I get my stuff, too. Should I get more ..." He looked at Leon -- no one knew about Jesse and the Xanax -- he wasn't ashamed of it, he just didn't like the stigma it brought with it. People thought you were weak if you needed something like that -- they didn't understand that some problems, some hurts just don't go away no matter how hard you try or how much you pray or how much therapy you get. Leon took the hint and got up and went into the bathroom. He knew, but didn't want Jesse to know he knew. He loved him like a little brother. Jesse was the greatest car mechanic he knew and one of the best guys he had ever known and didn't want to hurt him in any way -- not even this. "Should I get more Xanax?" He whispered. "If you can, it would be great, but don't hurt your credit there as far as your insurance and stuff." "Nah, Phil, the pharmacist, will give it to me." She smiled at him.  
  
CHAPTER 11  
  
Nikki went upstairs with jars of baby food -- he wouldn't like it, but it would be easiest for him to digest with all the pain killer and penicillin she was pouring in him. He woke up when she walked into the bedroom and gave her a weak smile. "You weren't kidding when you said you could knock me on my ass with this dope, were you, sexy?" "Nope! Breakfast is here -- now would you prefer bananas, vanilla custard, sweet potatoes or carrots?" "Nik, I know you were mad at me, but this sounds like what Glory eats with gusto." She smiled and showed him the jars. "No way." "Way. It will be easy for you to eat and for you to digest. In a few days we'll move up to biter biscuits and rice cereal." She opened the bananas and fed him slowly. He coughed more than she liked, but drank a lot of water, which was good for him. He ate four jars, which really pleased her. "Now I'm going to change the bandages -- it might hurt a little bit. Do you want another pain killer or a tranquilizer?" He looked at her softly. "I can't believe after the way I treated you that you are taking care of me like this." "Dominic, do you remember the credo we live by -- what is in the past stays in the past?" He nodded. "Let's let the last three months be put into that past, too, and never repeat it, okay?" "Sounds good. I'll take a trank, but I don't want to be out again." She got up and gave him a tranquilizer and waited fifteen minutes for it to start to kick in. "I feel good." She laughed and started changing the bandages. He wasn't bleeding much at all and nothing looked infected. She used alcohol to clean them and while he moaned a little, nothing bubbled and she knew that was a good sign. She filled them with more antibiotic cream, making a mental note to have Jesse get more when he went to the pharmacy tonight. The next few days were going to be interesting. Dom would be declared dead at the race -- it would rock everyone who was part of the street circuit except for Jimmy Tran. Because Vince knew nothing of who was behind it, Jimmy would think he was safe. He wasn't, Nikki thought, staring at her dozing husband. She got gently into the bed next to him, and put her head on his good shoulder. "You know what? I have so many things left to tell you that I've never told anyone -- nothing major -- like I starred as a princess when I was in kindergarten and I never forgot the way my parents cheered or how that tiara felt on my head -- I wore it to bed for a week. And how at one of my foster homes, one of the few good ones, the people who were taking care of me were so cool that they bought me the soundtrack to "Grease" and even had a pink jacket made up so I could pretend to be a Pink Lady." She laughed, rubbing the back of his head. She knew he wasn't listening to any of this -- he was off in some sort of drugged out world of his own. "So many little things I want to know about you -- like where you got this little scar behind your ear -- and how many times you had detention -- and what was going through your head the first time you kissed me." Nikki was crying gently. "There's so much left for us to find out about each other, Dominic. Don't you dare ever leave me." She felt her own eyes getting heavy and wanted to hit the clock for the 15 minute intervals but couldn't do it in time. She was sleeping in a heavy sleep.  
  
CHAPTER 12  
  
Hours later Nikki woke up to the sound of steps on the staircase. She wished suddenly that she had a gun. She didn't think Dom had any in the house and reached into her purse and grabbed her butterfly knife, flipping it into a position of protection. She didn't move out of the bed, just waited. It was dark out and she realized she must have slept for hours. She reached over and felt Dom's pulse -- still steady as could be. His bandages were clean -- no bleeding. It was good. She watched as their bedroom door opened slowly and then dropped the knife when she saw it was Leon and Jesse. "Hey Nik, sorry to wake you." Jesse walked over to Dom and lightly kissed the top of his head. "I hate seeing him like this. I wish it was me again instead of Dominic." "Don't ever say that, Jesse." Everyone looked in surprise at the person who uttered those words -- Dom was wide awake. "I don't want you to ever be hurt again. I'm sorry for all I put you through these past few months, brother." "Forget it - I already have. Leon and I are coming back to work at DT with you. We'll run things until you are strong enough to come home." Nikki smiled at them both with love in her eyes. "I lost most of my business -- I yelled at my customers, I didn't pay my bills, I ..." "Dominic -- forget all that -- as soon as you are back on your feet and ready to work the cars will be rolling in. Especially after that race you ran." "Holy shit -- that car is still at the beach." "No, it isn't -- I had it towed this morning back to DT." Nikki said and was once again stared at in shock. "Enough talking. Listen to me, my darling, you need all the rest you can get so you can heal. You need some penicillin and you need some medication and then you're going to go nighty nighty just like our little girls do and I don't want fights from you like I hear from them." He smiled at her. "Will you sing to me?" "If you are a good boy and take your medicine and eat for me." "Eat what?" "Once a horn dog, always a horn dog." Leon laughed and Nikki shoved them out of the room, promising to meet them downstairs. She fed him the baby food again and he was eating well -- tomorrow she was going to move onto harder foods, to see what his body could take. He was healing well -- a strong man who worked out daily and took care of himself. It was wonderful. She gave him the penicillin and he made the same face. "A kiss?" "Yuck." But she leaned down and kissed him, letting her tongue dance with his for such a long time. God, how she suddenly wanted him. It had been so long since the sex had been good between them. It was time to get that back -- as soon as he was healed. "Now you're taking some pain killer and tranks and heading off to sleepy time." "Only if you sing to me." She rolled her eyes and promised and he swallowed the medication. She sat on the floor, close to his head and sang "Amazing Grace", one of the girls favorite songs. He played with her hair so gently and soon his hand rested on her shoulder getting heavier and heavier. He was sleeping and she crept out of the room and downstairs. "Guys, I need some help. We've got to get him off those bloody sheets and clean him up. He's out like a light and heavy as hell but if he was awake, he'd be helping me and that would cause him to bleed." "Of course we'll help you, Nik. You don't have to ask twice." They followed her upstairs and it was a job -- Dom was a dead weight from the medication and the pain. They gently moved him from side to side while sliding the sheets out from under him and clean sheets back along with towels. They washed his body, changed what little clothing he was wearing and Jesse gave his legs a good massage. "I heard about people who get really bad leg cramps and stuff when they are in bed a long time so I'm gonna do this every night, okay?" Nikki nodded, smiling at his incredible sweetness. Once he was all tucked in and his pulse was once again checked, they went back downstairs, the monitor well within her sight. "So what is your plan, Nik -- I know you have one. And who is Derrick?" Leon asked. "First of all -- Jesse -- did you get the meds? I had no idea I slept so long." He handed her a pharmacy bag and she giggled when a pile of tabloid magazines, candy bars, and a jar of strawberry lip gloss fell out along with the two medications she needed. "You have got to be the sweetest man." She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Hey, I'm sweet!" "You are one of my best friends on earth, Leon." She kissed him, too. "Were you able to get into Mia and Brian's without being seen and get the deposit slips?" "No doubt." He pulled them out of his back pocket. "Cool, thank you. I'm going to run upstairs and make the transfer of funds -- why don't you two make the three of us some dinner? Can you do that? I've got tons of stuff in the refrigerator." "No, prob." Leon was already up and Jesse was behind him. She could hear them bickering about what to cook. If Leon married, as she was sure he would someday -- what would Jesse do? He definitely had his share of women, one in particular that Nikki didn't much care for, but marriage? She just couldn't imagine it. He'd just have to come and live with them again. The thought made her smile. Upstairs in the office, Nikki pulled up her account in her banking site. She transferred ten thousand dollars into each of Brian's accounts. She knew it was far more than they needed but it made her felt safe. Immediately after the transaction the phone rang and she looked at the caller ID -- it was the bank. She knew they'd call with a transaction that large. She gave her ID # and code and the transaction was completed. Back downstairs she was greeted with the smell of eggs and bacon and sausage being cooked. "We've got our days and nights all mixed up, don't we?" "Hell, yeah, so we figured that we might as well have breakfast for dinner since we can only go out when it is dark. We'll have chesseburgers for breakfast tomorrow!" Leon laughed and sat a heaping plate in front of her. Nikki stared at the monitor. He looked so good. "Jess, could you go up and take his pulse?" Jesse took off and was back down within minutes. "He's fine -- same as always Nikki. I can't believe he was shot five times and fixed up in his own bed." He sat down and jumped into his food, as always. Dom would have made him say grace but Nikki let it slide -- she figured that God was hearing many prayers since the night Dom was shot and more before that when it seemed he was losing his mind. "When I think he is totally stable, I'm going to have to go out one night." "To meet Derrick?" Leon asked -- this was bugging the shit out of him and she knew it. "Yes, and please don't ask me about him. This is nothing that will hurt my man in the least -- this is a business deal. Guys I'm going to make a call and then tell you something." Nikki picked up her cell, the only phone in the house they were using and called Vince. "V, it's Nik. What happened at the race?" She listened for a long time and a smile swept her face. "Good -- no, Dom's sleeping or I'd put him on the phone with you. This is exactly what he wanted, though, big bear. Thanks, love you and Letty -- tell her I love her and I'll see her soon. Promise? Bye." Nikki hung up the phone. "Well, Vince told a few people and the word spread like wild fire that Dom is dead. Vince said Jimmy Tran was there and looked totally satisfied, that fucker." "We're going to get him big time." Leon said, fury in his eyes. "I'll explain the plan to you if you swear, on the lives of my children that you will follow every single thing I tell you and tell no one of my plans." "On the lives of your kids? Are you nuts?" Jesse said in disgust. "No, I'm just serious. Both of you swear it -- Jesse, you are the godfather of Daisy and Leon, you are godfather to Glory. Swear it." They both did, as hard as it was for them. "We are not going after the Trans. I am. I am Mrs. Dominic Toretto and this is my fight -- I know you love him, I know you are part of the family -- but this is MY FIGHT. That was my husband that he shot five times, my husband he tried to kill. His brother tried to rape me and my sister-in-law. I am going to end this war with the Trans and that man Derrick is going to help me." "Why the hell would you bring in an outsider when you've got us to help you?" Jesse said, sounding hurt. "Because, I don't want this to be about the team or about the family -- this is Toretto against Tran. We won once, he won once -- now it is time for someone to kick some ass in a serious way. When Dom is recovered you know he is going to go for blood and I'll lose him to jail -- that will not happen. They will never suspect a woman is going to come after them. But that is exactly what is going to happen." "Vince won't allow it." "How will Vince know, Leon? You swore on the life of my kids you won't tell." "He'll go after him when he finds out it was a Tran. He already suspects from the way Jimmy acted at the race when he heard Dom was dead." "Suspected is different from knowing. He also thinks Dom has a minor flesh wound. Listen guys, I ...." Suddenly Nikki stopped talking, stopped breathing. She noticed on the monitor -- she could see Dom sleeping but could see the outlines of two figures in the room with him. "Oh my god. We need a fucking gun." "I know where Dom keeps it -- I'll be right back." Leon took off down into the basement and came back up with a loaded shot gun. "Let's roll." They all went upstairs -- in the past, they would have asked Nikki to wait downstairs and she probably would have said no but this was a new Nikki and asking her would be pointless. Leon pushed open the door slightly and pointed the gun at the two intruders. "Shit! I could have killed you both! Letty, don't cry." It was Letty and Vince and Nikki ran in, hugging both of them. "How did you get in?" "Ah, key?? Remember?" She smiled and turned to Letty who was staring at Dom. She took her hand and Letty looked at her. "He loves you so much, Let. You are his other sister -- he wants you to be well. Come over and talk to him -- I don't know if he'll wake up, but he'll still hear you in his heart. Tell him you love him and want him to get better." Letty moved toward the bed with Nikki and knelt down and whispered to Dom. "I do love you, Dom. I'm sorry for everything." Dom opened his eyes slowly -- he was very groggy but smiled at her. "I love you, too, Little Letty. You don't have to be sorry for anything. I'm so sleepy, girl." He fell asleep and Vince grabbed Nikki's arm gently. "Flesh wound, staying at a hotel?" "Oh shit -- are you parked where anyone can see?" "No! We took a cab a few miles back and then walked the backyards here. I just had a feeling you'd be here. I'm gonna get the guys and we're gonna go on a little trip." "V -- is that you?" Dom whispered and he went over to him. Vince kissed Dom's head. "Jimmy Tran -- we need to get him -- he shot me but I think he was trying to kill Nikki." "Don't even sweat it, big boy. We're gonna out tonight." Nikki felt furious -- things were not going to go the way Vince was planning. She walked over to Dom and told him he needed more medication. He looked at her strangely. "Honey, you've been sleeping -- I'm not overmedicating you on purpose!" She forced a totally fake laugh and slipped him two extra Vicodin with the Xanax. He was gonna be out all night. She turned to Vince. "Go downstairs and sit with Jesse and Leon -- I'll explain everything to you in a few. And Vince -- don't come back up here -- he will be out for the entire night -- I knocked him out." Vince tried to stare her down but couldn't. "What are you planning, Nikki?" "Just go." She turned to Letty. "Can you help me with his bandages -- I want to make sure they are fresh and Jesse usually helps me but I guess I'm sorta tired of all this testosterone." They both laughed quietly and worked on Dom together.  
  
CHAPTER 13  
  
Letty suddenly reached over and took Nikki's hand -- it was the first time she had voluntarily touched Nikki. "What, honey?" "I want to help you." "You are helping me and Dom, too." "No, with Jimmy Tran -- I know you are planning something without the guys and we'll do it together." "Letty, you can't have more stress." "Nikki, I need to get myself back and I can't find me anywhere -- maybe helping you kick the ass of the man who shot him will do that -- I used to be the tough bitch, remember?" Nikki laughed and hugged her. "So long as you promise to protect me from Vince when this is all over, I say it's a good plan. If Mia was here, we could be Dominic's Angels." They both laughed and went downstairs. Letty sat on Vince's lap and kissed him to distract him as Nikki pulled Leon and Jesse into the kitchen. "Remember, you swore on the lives of my children to keep my secret. Not even Vince. I'm doing it tonight and Letty is coming with me." "Nikki! This is fucked up!" Leon was truly outraged. "Jesse, I knocked Dom out for the night because he was getting fussy with Vince and I knew he was gonna try and get up. I need you to take his pulse every fifteen -- here's the clock." She handed him the timer he had set for her. "If it goes above those numbers I gave you, I want you to call 911 because I could have given him too much." Jesse nodded. Nikki lifted the cell off the table and dialed. "Derrick -- tonight -- and I need it all. I'll get you the cash." She waited, told him a number and hung up. "Fuck, Nik. If anything happens to you ..." "You'll help Dom raise my kids." "No I won't because he'll fucking rip my head off for letting you go." She kissed Leon on the cheek. "Just keep your promises. And help me with Vince tonight." She walked into the living room. "Hey V, we've got some gorgeous steaks in the fridge -- would you make them?" He got up immediately and she and Letty stared at each other. "We girls are going upstairs to change -- I think we need a night out while you watch my hubby." "What? You're leaving him?" Vince asked. "She deserves a night out for a few hours, V -- she's been exhausted." Leon said and Nikki silently blessed him. "Yeah, besides, I know how to take his pulse and shit -- he'll be fine." Jesse said and showed Vince the monitor. "Letty, you want to go out with Nikki?" Letty hugged Vince and nodded. She still didn't talk much and it broke Nikki's heart but maybe, just maybe she would find that tough little girl again. Letty was already dressed in all black and heavy boots. Nikki ran upstairs, taking Letty with her. "It's like you knew what to put on, Let." She smiled and stripped off her clothes, making sure to stay out of the way of the monitor -- that's all she needed to do was give the boys a free view. Letty sat down near Dom's head and petted it. He was totally out, but called Nikki's name. "Right here, baby, I'm right here." And he went right back to sleep. He was so helpless right now and it did remind her of her girls. Nikki looked at Letty as she pulled on a tight black tank top and a pair of tight black jeans and black motorcycle boots. It was weird in a way but felt right too. Letty was comforting her husband in a room where they had had sex -- bizarre probably wasn't even the right word. Nikki grabbed Dom's big black leather jacket, pulled her hair back into a tight ponytail and put two pairs of leather driving gloves in each pocket -- one pair for each of them. She stopped for a moment -- could she do this? Could she stand up to another Tran -- possibly take his life? She was willing to take Johnny's but ... then she looked at Dom and thought of those bullets and how he had thrown his body over hers to protect her. How they had followed his race car -- hoping to do as much damage as possible. She thought of her daughters -- she had to protect them and if she let Dom do it, they'd probably grow up without him. She got a jacket out of the closet for Letty. "Ready to do this?" Letty nodded without even knowing the plan. Nikki took her into the bathroom and ran the shower so they couldn't be heard on the monitor. She explained everything to her and was delighted when Letty's eyes lit up. "We can do this?" "With the help of my friend, yes. Are you positive you want to come?" "Yes, I love all of you." He words were staggered, like a child's and Nikki held her close for a moment. "We love you, too. Let's go and kick some ass." "Dominic's Angel's." Letty laughed and they walked downstairs. Nikki noticed the strange looks Vince gave her at her outfit and hair pulled back so tight. "We're outta here -- keep a good eye on my husband." She kissed all three guys goodbye and Vince held her tight. "Where?" "This little club -- El Gato? Hector is always there at night -- he's cool." "I don't know if Letty should go and what about the Trans?" "The Trans can wait until Dominic is up on his feet and can defend himself with you and the guys -- not without him or he won't be satisfied and you know that." Vince nodded because she was right about that one. "We'll have a couple of soda's and something to eat and be home in a few hours. I've got my cell if you need me." She hugged Jesse again, whispering to him. "Remember your promise and to keep checking his pulse -- don't hesitate to call 911." "I will and I won't."  
  
CHAPTER 14  
  
She walked with the keys to Leon's car and Dom's garage in her hands. She opened it up and she pulled out and Letty shut the doors and got in. Nikki drove for a little while. Nikki talked constantly -- she felt it was good for Letty. She talked about the babies and about the trip that Mia and Brian were on, she talked about a new television show, she just babbled until Letty interrupted her. "Who is this guy?" "Derrick? I met him back when Dom and Jesse were searching for Lizbeth." She saw Letty's face fall. "No, Letty, that is the past. Move on. We love you, remember? Anyway, it was good because he taught me a lot about self-protection and even revenge and that's what we need right now, right?" "Without a doubt, girl." Letty smiled. Nikki pulled into a warehouse lot and drove behind a building. There was a large truck and a large man waiting next to it. "Hey Derrick." She and Letty got out of Leon's car and Derrick laughed. "Could you have brought a brighter car or was that one busy?" She smiled at him and shrugged. "It's cool -- I've got a black one back there for you." Nikki looked past his shoulders and saw the car. It was a Viper. She handed Derrick the money -- over one hundred thousand dollars. Good thing Dom kept money in a safe under the house. "Jacket off -- let me see your body." She pulled her jacket off and Letty grabbed her arm. "It's okay, I promise. He is here to help us." Derrick put his hands on Nikki's waist, measuring her without needing a tape. "You positive about this part?" She nodded and Letty watched in horror as Derrick strapped explosives to Nikki's midsection. "This is the detonator -- well, the detonator if that shit on you was real but no one will know -- not even a bomb expert would know without a close inspection." He handed it to her and they walked over to his truck. He explained everything and Nikki and Letty jumped into the Viper and took off for Jimmy Trans' house.  
  
CHAPTER 15  
  
It was easy enough to scale his wall and his guard dogs weren't worth anything once she hit them with a tranquilizer dart. Jimmy didn't bother with flood lights because of the dogs. 'Idiot', Nikki thought to herself. She did what Derrick had instructed her to do -- stunned at how many cars Jimmy had. She hadn't had time to check this place out fully but Derrick had done it for her. Letty started on one end of the cars and Nikki the other -- Vipers, Benz, BMW, Ferrari, Porsche, -- anything expensive and fast. The garage was locked up tight, but Derrick had taught her well and she jimmied it, first checking with one of his gadgets to make sure there was no alarm set. Nothing. 'what an pompous idiot' Nikki thought. Inside there were at least ten motorcycles and five or six more cars -- she wondered how much NOS was under these cars but realized it didn't matter. She was going to do what she had to to protect her family. She hooked them all up, with Letty's help. Nikki pulled the manila envelope out of her back pocket where it had been tormenting her since she put it in. Nikki and Letty walked quietly up to the front door and rang the bell. Derrick had watched the house for a few days. The Tran family lived down the street -- this was Jimmy's house and he had no one living with him except a different woman or women every night and a small staff. A man opened the door and looked at them in shock. At first Nikki wondered why and then remembered the locked gates and the dogs. "Hey there, we're here for Jimmy." Letty said with a sneer in her voice and Nikki looked at her in surprise. Maybe, maybe ..... "I will see if Mr. Tran is available. Who should I say is calling?" Nikki handed him the manila envelope. "Just give him these -- he'll know." Nikki looked at Letty for support and winked. Letty looked like she was getting back some of her fire. Please God. They followed the man into the house and waited in Jimmy's library. Letty knocked a valuable statue onto the floor and Nikki laughed. "Girl ...." She had started to push another one when Jimmy walked in. "The Widow Toretto, I presume. Oh, and you've brought a friend. Lovely." He was wearing a pair of silk boxers and nothing else. Fucking self-assured asshole, Nikki thought to herself. "Well, Jimmy, you've got that one wrong. My husband is very much alive -- if you had used something other than these piss-ant bullets, he probably would be dead." She deposited three bullets onto his floor and he kicked them out of the way. "No, no -- don't come near me. You remember what I did to your big brother, don't you? You don't think he got that wound in his leg from the car accident, do you?" "Bitch." "Damn straight." Letty snarled, throwing another Ming Vase and Nikki laughed. She did seem to be coming back -- it might not last, but this was the first time she had seen the real Letty in so long. "I touch who I want and what I want and if your husband is alive, why isn't he here?" "Because I'm here, you coward." Jimmy took a huge step toward her and she pulled her jacket open to reveal the fake explosives on her body. "Those aren't real. I don't believe you'd kill yourself just to get back at me. Now all these beautiful pictures can be reality but we'll add your friend in for fun." Nikki pulled the detonator out of her pocket. "You positive they aren't real?" "Absolutely positive." He reached for her and she hit the button. Suddenly it sounded like world war three was going on outside of his house. "What???" He ran into the foyer and Letty giggled, which made Nikki giggle. "I think he's unhappy about his toys." Letty said, pushing the computer monitor off his desk. "Don't forget the hard drive, girl." Letty grabbed it, ripped it from the desk, wires and all, and dropped it into the enormous fish tank that Jimmy had in the library. "Can't imagine this man is this stupid." They walked into the foyer -- the front door stood wide open and Jimmy and his staff were outside looking at the destroyed cars and motorcycles. Jimmy grabbed a cell phone from his maid. "I'm calling 911 on your ass, bitch." "You might want to think about that, Jimmy. First of all, there are witnesses who saw you shoot my husband, second. I have copies of all of these fake pictures, third, this isn't the first stop we made tonight." She stared into his eyes and what she was saying dawned on him. "Don't your parents live three doors down?? Amazing how far a detonator works, Jimmy, my boy. And we didn't bother with their cars. And you can't imagine how easy it was for us to get into that house. And if you don't believe me, make the call to Daddy -- but, be careful -- sometimes phones and cell phones can be programmed to go off like bombs. But the choice is yours." He slowly closed his phone and stared at her. "I will kill you." "Aye, there's the rub, Jimmy, if I can quote Will Shakespeare to you. I have no problem detonating everything that is on my body and sending you straight to hell with your no good brother. I may be dead but I'm pretty sure my destination will be higher." He screamed in rage. "This is not over, bitch from hell." "That's where you are wrong, Jimmy. I'm giving you exactly 24 hours to leave this state and email me a picture from another country, I don't care which one, holding the daily paper with the date shown, in your grubby dirty little hands." They were all quiet when another voice broke into the conversation, booming out. "It will never happen that way, Nikki." It was Vince and he had a gun. When he shot Jimmy Tran in the chest, knocking him back at least twenty feet, Nikki was stunned. "Vince?!?" "Only way to stop it. Stop this dirty little war they started over Jimmy's slut sister and Dom." "Leon and Jesse swore -" "They didn't break their word -- you two are too damn easy to tail -- great tails that you have." Letty laughed and punched him. "If any of you, " he addressed Jimmy's staff, "feel a need to call the police, you are putting all of your lives in jeopardy. If you feel the need to tell the Tran family who was here, again, you will end up with the same fate as your boss over there. Take what you want from the house -- have a ball -- and get out. The cops should be here in twenty after those explosions of the cars." He turned toward the girls. "Car?" "Vince, it's around the block but you know, we can take care of ourselves. Fuck it, you piss me off when you treat me like I can't take care of myself because ..." Vince looked at Nikki in shock -- this was Letty talking??? He grabbed her and kissed her hard before she could stop speaking. "I love you so much Let." "Yeah, me too, you fucker." "Let's go and have this love fest later." Nikki drove herself back to Derrick alone. Letty went with Vince and promised to meet them at the house. She was uncomfortable -- she hadn't wanted Jimmy dead -- but was there a way to make peace -- to make it stop. Somehow in her head she had hoped that scaring him would be enough, but Vince was right, it never would have stopped -- she had only angered him further. Now he was dead and no one would know who or how or why. She had seen the servants walking out with crystal and other possessions. Life was upside down for her and she needed to turn it straight again.  
  
CHAPTER 16 Three months later  
  
"Can you believe I'm getting married in two hours? Me??" Letty laughed as Nikki attempted to fix the flowers in her long brown hair. "Letty, stand still!" Every time she started yapping, more flowers would fall. "I'm gonna super glue them in if you don't." Mia yelled and all three women laughed. Letty was back and was all the way back -- she had come so far that she had made more than a circle -- she had wrapped all the way around to being the sweet and funny girl she should have been if her parents hadn't warped her so badly in the first place. "Wait Nik -- thanks for letting us have the wedding in the backyard and making everything look so beautiful. I never thought I'd have anything like this in my life." Letty said, a tiny tear in one eye. It did look beautiful -- they had strung white lights everywhere, white chairs with ribbons were set up and the aisle Letty was walking down was covered with white rose petals. She and Vince were being married under a white rose covered awning. It was stunning. Nikki walked over to her. "You deserve it but after picking that ugly bridesmaid gown I have to wear, I've almost changed my mind." "It is pretty damn ugly." Mia said. "I hate to put it on." They both laughed and Letty told them both to fuck off. "I'm going to check on the girls and Alex and Dominic. I'll be back. Stand still and shut that big mouth for once!" Letty stuck her tongue out at Niki and laughed. Nikki walked into the nursery -- all three babies were sleeping soundly. She thanked God again -- they were safe and they were going to stay safe. This was their last month in this house -- she and Dom and the kids were moving out east -- somewhere where the name Toretto didn't bring fear or interest or revenge (although she knew he was still well known for racing, even across the country.) It was time to live life like adults, not so fast and furious, not like a street version of West Side Story. She walked into her bedroom and was surprised to find Dom laying in bed under the covers. 'Oh shit, she thought to herself -- he isn't feeling good.' He had been doing great -- working out his back to fix his muscles that had been torn by the bullets, eating well, playing with the girls, loving her. She was still in her robe, waiting until the last moment to put on the bridesmaid dress (which really wasn't that ugly but certainly not something she would have picked) and didn't want it to wrinkle. She thought Dom would be out with the boys -- she could hear them yelling and playing and swore if any of them knocked over any of those decorations, she'd kick their asses in front of everyone. She had already threatened to turn the hose on them twice -- Vince was like a big puppy dog -- he couldn't stop grinning. "Dominic, honey?" Dom opened his eyes slowly and Nikki sat down on the bed and he put his head into her lap. She petted him gently. "Aren't you feeling good?" "Not really. Would you close and lock both doors -- I want to talk to you." She did as he asked. If his back was hurting this much again she would have to force him to the doctor. "Your back hurting?" "No, my feelings." Nikki wondered what he was talking about -- his feelings were hurt so he retreated to bed? This wasn't making sense to her. "Someone hurt your feelings?" She felt like she was talking to a child. "You." He didn't say anything else and suddenly she felt his prized possession pushing against her leg. "You are full of shit." "No, I'm so sad." He was trying not to laugh and she ran her hand down his naked back, looking at the scars he had -- how well he had healed. It was amazing -- she could still remember every moment of that night he had been shot, how she took out the bullets, all the blood. "You don't feel too sad." She said, pushing her leg against him. "But I am. Do you wanna know why?" Oh God, he was really playing this game well. "Of course I do -- would you like to call me Mommy?" He shook his head no. She tried to play along and not laugh. "Okay, just do your best to tell me." "Well, I have this really hot wife and she took good care of me and we've been making love some but not enough." "That's so sad but aren't you getting all your strength back?" This was so pathetic but she was enjoying it. She was already getting hot for whatever he was planning in his totally animal mind. "Yeah, and that's the problem. My wife keeps insisting that she gets to be on top all the time and I think it is definitely my turn." His sad voice turned deep and husky and he pulled her down on the bed. "See, my pretty little wife hasn't realized yet that I am all the way better and she'd better get ready for it. Every ounce of my strength is back and all my desire and I've been denied way too long to do all the things I want to." He rolled over on top of her, opening her robe to her waist, devouring her with his eyes. His hand went to the two flattened bullets she wore on a long chain that hung between her breasts. It was unspoken between them -- a reminder of what they could have lost -- they didn't even look like bullets anymore -- no one would guess what they were or that they had been dug out of his body by his wife. "I want you right now, Mrs. Toretto and I'm absolutely not taking any excuses -- I don't care if the queen of England is getting married in our backyard. I want to get all the way inside your soul again -- my way." "Oh Dom, I'm so ready." They kissed long and slow and loving and when he had his full weight on her, she knew he was truly healed -- he was moving like a cat again with that agility that turned her on from day one. The wedding was forgotten -- the entire world was forgotten for a few hours in their bed -- the bed she had saved his life in, the bed they had saved each other in. So long as they could touch souls like this -- they didn't need anything else but their kids to make their lives happy. Nothing on the horizon but good days and sweet nights. 


End file.
